Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer, and the entire Cubs organization are playing it conservative. Their 35-year old ace who
has put together his best season ever started feeling tightness in his right latissimus dorsi muscle – a muscle just below the shoulder blade. To make sure the tightness didn’t turn into a strain or something more, the Cubs placed Ryan Dempster on the 15-day disabled list.
In a Chicago Sun-Times report, Epstein said:
"‘‘We’re going to play it conservatively,’’ team president Theo Epstein said. ‘‘As well as he’s throwing, we want to nip this in the bud to make sure it doesn’t turn into a strain or anything like that.’’"
Dempster is currently one of the hottest trade targets this summer, and he has clearly been the best pitcher on the Cubs’ staff. He has a 2.11 ERA over the course of 81 innings-pitched this year. His ERA+ sit comfortably at 189. Dempster has been dominant this year while playing for a bad team that is clearly on the seller’s side of the negotiating table.
Numerous teams are interested in Dempster, but the injury could scare some of them away. The Cubs, and those interested in making a trade, will have to wait and see how Dempster’s body responds to rest. Technically, the injury isn’t yet an injury, and Dempster could bounce back just fine. But the back and the shoulder are so involved in a pitcher’s mechanics, it makes sense for the Cubs to be cautious.
According to Gordon Wittenmeyer of the Sun-Times, the Cubs made the move yesterday. He said the Cubs have told the media there is no timetable for Dempster’s return.
Dempster has played for Chicago for the last nine seasons and has a career 3.76 ERA with the Cubs. Overall, Dempster has spent 15 years in the league, including this season, and has a 4.33 ERA. He’s spent time in both the bullpen and the starting rotation, but since being moved to the Cubs’ rotation in 2008, he has four straight years of at least 200 innings-pitched. He’s a work horse.
While the injury does not seem severe, it will be interesting to see how his value is affected on the trade market. We really won’t be able to gauge how other teams’ reacted to the injury until a trade is made. Once that trade is made, the talent the Cubs receive in return will be telling of just how concerned the rest of the league is and just how much Dempster’s value was affected.
For more on the Cubs and Dempster trade rumors, be sure to check out Cubbies’ Crib.